Electric welding-machine.



3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

L. M. PRYOR dz J. L. TRAPP.

ELECTRIC WELDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, 1910.

naw vim Lq'a L. M. PRYOR & J. L. TRAPP.

BLEGTRIG WELDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNES, 1910.

1 H 1% M m Lu m m m 2 3 FM 8 m ML n 96% m x a J P s laj a gg UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAFAYETTE M. PRYOR ANDJESSE' 1.. rmrr, or rimnxro'n'r, INDIANA.

ELECTRIC 'WELDING-IMACHINE.

984,603. Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 3,1910. Serial No. 664,853.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LAFAYETTE M. Patton and Jesse L. TRAPP, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Frankfort, in the county of Clinton andState of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric\Velding -Machines, of which tlieifollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to welding Inachines of that type in which theheating of the parts to be welded is effected by an electric current. I

The invention has for one of its objects to improve and simplify theconstruction and operation of machines of this character so as to becomparativelysimple and inexpensive to manufacture, reliable andefiicient in use, and readily controlled.

Another object of the invention is the proy ision of improved means forclamping the work in the machine and holding the same in position forwelding.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novelcurrent-converting device to which the work clamps are connected.

With these objects in view and others, as will appear as the descriptionproceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features ofconstruction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully describedhereinafter and set forthwith particularity in the claims appe dedhereto.

In the drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of the invention,Figure 1 is a side View of the machine with portions broken away. Fig. 2is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section online 3-3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 1l, Fig. 1, takenthrough one of the work-holding clamps. Fig. 5 is a perspective View ofthe means for adjusting the movable jaw of each work clamp. Fig. 6 is aperspective View of the movable jaw ofthe work clamp.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate correspondingparts throughout the views.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a supporting frame of anysuitable construction, on which are mounted the work clamps or carriersB and C, the latter being movable toward the former so that. the neces-"sary pressure can be applied to the pieces in the clamps for weldingthem together. Each clamp consists .of a horizontal bar 1 ofcopper orother conducting material, the forward end of which forms a fixed jaw 2and has its upper face provided with 'a workreceiving recess 3. The bar1 extends from front to the rear of the machine and, as it carries thewelding current, it is cored with passages 4 through which water iscontinuously circulated for keeping the fixed jaws relatively cool, thewater flowing through conduits 5 connected with the rear ends of thebar 1. On the forward end of each bar is a bracket 6 that is setrearwardly fromthe recess 3 to form a support for the movable aw 7. Thebracket has a forwardly-extendmg plate portion 8 from which depends aflange 9 that is disposed parallel with the vertlcal portion of thebracket, and the jaw 7, whlch is in the form of a block, is recessed atits front and rear edges to provide corner lugs 10 that engage the sidesof the bracket 6 and depending member 9 thereof. By this means, themovable jaw 7 can move freely toward and from the fixed jaw for clampingor unclamping the Work, the under side of the movable jaw or block 7being provided with the recess 11 opposite the recess 3. The movable jawis normally held open by a suitable arrangement of helical extensionsprings 12 which may be fastened to the corners of the movable jaw andto the horizontal portion 8 of the bracket 6.,

The means for operating each movable jaw consists of a lever 13 that isfulcrumed in an opening 14 in "the horizontal portion 8 of thejaw-supporting bracket 6, and the lower end of this lever rides on thetop surface of the jaw 7 to cause the latter to be clamped to the workwhen the lever is operated. The upper end of the lever is hingedlyconnected at 15 with a connecting rod 16 which has its rear end hingedlyconnected at 17 with a bell crank lever 18 mounted in anupwardly-extending bracket 19 on the rear end of the bar 1. This bellcrank lever can be operated in any suitable. manner by means under thecontrol of the operator, but,

by a solenoid 20 su'pported at the rear of the machine by a bracket 21fastened to the bar. 1, and the movable core 22 of the solenoid isconnected by a link or rod 23 with the bell crank lever. The movablejaws of both clamps are of the same construction and each has its ownactuating solenoid.

In order that the machine may be used l for welding pieces of differentdlmensions,

Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

in the present instancefthe lever is operated the movable jaw 7 can beadjusted accordingly, and for this purpose, the fulcrum point 24 of eachlever 13 is capable of being shifted. The fulcrum 24 is carried by theforward ends of spaced members 25 which are disposed in-the opening 14of the bracket 6 and have their rear ends pivoted at 26 to the bracket.Between these members 25 is a block 27 that has journals 28 projectingfrom its ends .and engaging in longitudinal slots 29 of the members25,,and passing vertically through this block is an adjusting screw 30that is rotatably supported in a plate 31 fastened to the bracket 6 overthe opening 14. By turning the screw, the block 27 will be raised orlowered to shift the position of the jaw-locking lever.

The bar 1 of the fixed clamp B is fastened to the frame A in anysuitable manner but is insulated therefrom by a plate of insulation 32,Fig. 3. The bar 1 of the clamp C is fastened to a plate 33 that has adove-tail groove 34 in its bottom, as shown in Fig. 1, the said plateforming a supporting slide that moves back and forth on a dove-tail Web.or guide 35 fastened to the frame A but insulated therefromby a plateof insulation 36. This slide: or. carrier 33 can bemoved back and forthby a horizontal swinging lever 37 fulcrumed at 38 on the guide andconnected by a link 39 with the slide 33.1 The handle 40 of the lever isdisposed at the "front of the machine so that the operator can move theslide to the 35 right or left in the operation of the machine.

Suitably mounted on the frame is atransformer T that has a core 41 onwhich is wound a primary winding 42. Extending through the opening inthe core are hori- 4 zontal bars of copper 43 insulated from each other,and to the ends thereof are fastenedcopper strips or leads 44 and 45that extend upwardly along opposite sides of the primary winding and aresecured by bolts 45 46 to the inner faces of the bars 1, the said leads45 being flexible so that the clamp C can readily move back and forth.The primary windings 42 and jaw-operating so; lenoids 20 can beconnected with suitable 50 sources of current and cut into and out of bewelded into engagement with each other,

6 so that the secondary circuit will be comthe jaws.

pleted. Current now flows through the group of leads 45, bar 1 of themovable clamp, the piece to be welded supported thereby, through thepiece in the fixed clamp group, of leads 44, and copper bars 43. As themeeting ends of the pieces fuse to the desired heat, the operatorincreases the pressure applied to the lever 37 so that the molecules ofthe molten metal will thoroughly intermingle and weld together. 7 Thecurrent is now thrown off from the transformer and solenoids so that thewelded work can be removed, the movable jaws automatically opening, whenthe levers 13 are released or retracted by springs 47. 8

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the advantages of'the construction and of themethod of operation will. be readil apparent to those skilled in the artto which the invention appertains, and while we have described theprinciple of operation of the invention, together with the apparatuswhich we now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, we desire tohave it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, andthat such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope ofthe claims appended hereto.

vHaving thus described the invention, what we claim is 1. A machine ofthe class described comprising a supporting frame, relativelymovableclamps, a transformer core, a primary winding on the core, a pluralityof ba'rs disposed in inductive relation to the winding, and groups ofleads connected with the bars and disposed in inductive relation to thewinding, one oup of leads being connected with one o the clamps and theother group with the other clamp.

2. A machinev of i the class described comprisin a supporting frame,relativelymovable 0 amps, a transformer core, a primary winding on thecore, a plurality of bars disposed in inductive relation to the winding,and groups of leads connected with the bars and disposed in inductiverelation to the winding, each clamp including one of the bars to whichone group of leads are connected.

3. An electric welding machine comprising relatively movable clamps, andmeans 3! for connecting the clamps in circuit with a source of current,each clam consistin of a bar forming a conductor or the wel ing currentand serving as a fixed jaw, a movable jaw carried by each bar, springsfor holding the movable jaw open, a lever mounted to close the movablejaw, a mechanism for operating the lever, and means for adjusting theposition of the lever to vary the closing of the movable jaw accordingto the size of the work to be clamped between 4. In a welding machine, afixed jaw forming a conductor for current, a bracket guided on thebracket, a lever arranged to engage the movable jaw for closing thesame, springs for opening the jaw, and quick-acting means connected withthe lever for throwing the same to jaw-closing position. l

5. In a welding machine, a fixed jaw forming a conductor for current, abracket mounted onthe fixed jaw, a movable jaw guided on the bracket, alever arranged to engage the movable jaw. for closing the same, springsfor opening the jaw, and electrical means for throwing the lever tojawclosing position.

6. In a welding machine, a fixed jaw forming a conductor for current, abracket mounted on the fixed jaw, a movable jaw guided on the bracket, alever arranged to engage the movable jaw for closing the same, springsfor opening the aw, electrical means for throwing the lever tojaw-closing position, and means for releasing the lever when the saidelectrical means is deenergized. Y

7. In an electric welding machine, the combination of a bar forming aconductor for current and serving as a fixed jaw, a bracket-on the bar,a movable jaw slidably mounted on the bracket, a lever engaging the jawfor closing the same, means for adjustably mounting the lever on thebracket to change the closing position ofthe movable jaw, and meansincluding an electro-magnet for operating the lever.

8.-- In an electric welding machine, the combination of a currentconductor forming a fixed jaw, a movable jaw, means for mounting themovable jaw on the said conductor, means tending to hold the movable jawopen, a member for moving the jaw to closed position, an adjusting screwfor changing the range of movement of the member, and means foractuating the member.

9. In an electric welding machine,- the combination of a bar forming'afixed jaw, a bracket thereon, a movable jaw guided by the bracket,springs tending to hold the movable jaw open, a lever for closing themov able jaw, a movable member on which the lever is fulcrumed,'a screwfor adjusting the position of the member, a bell crank lever mounted onthe ,bar, a connection between the two levers, and electrical meansmounted on the bar to operate through the bell crank lever to throw thefirst-mentioned lever to jaw-closing position.

10. In an electric welding machine, the combination of a bar forming aconductor and serving as a fixed jaw, a movable jaw, means for mountingthe movable jaw on the bar, a jaw-closing lever, springs tending to holdthe movable jaw open, a movable device on which the lever is mounted, ablock pivoted on the device, an adjusting screw for shifting the blockto change the position of the lever toclose the movable jaw in differentpositions, and means for operating the lever.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

LAFAYETTE M. PRYOR JESSE L. TRAPP. WVitnesses:

H. W. MINER, G. L. RAMEY.

